Eligibility, Registration and General Information

• All concert bands are welcome to participate in the annual NZCBA Festival.
• NZCBA member bands will be eligible for a 10% discount on registration fees. NZCBA Single Band Membership Fee is $100 and $150 for Multi Band Membership in 2018.
• Registration fees for 2018 are $25 per musician (excluding the conductor) up to 35 musicians, then $15 per musician. Registration fee for soloist is $10 and each ensemble is $15.
• Registrations close at 5pm Friday, May 31, eleven weeks before the Festival weekend. The last date for payment is Friday July 6.
• Late payment will incur a 10% fee.
• Registrations are done online via our website. Entry opens by the end of March.
• Preferences regarding scheduling times may be taken into account, but cannot be guaranteed. Priority will be given in order of registration/payment of fees. It is important to indicate in the Registration process if there are times your band cannot possibly perform or if some musicians are in other bands. PLEASE NOTE: Bands will not be scheduled in the same sessions as their solo/ensembles.
• Late entries may be accepted at the discretion of the NZCBA Committee in conjunction with the Festival Organisers.
• Withdrawal of a band, ensemble, or soloist two weeks prior to the Festival will result in a full refund of registration fees. After this time, refunds are at the discretion of the NZCBA Committee.
• All decisions regarding the application and administration of the Festival Guidelines and Rules are at the discretion of the NZCBA Executive.
• It is expected that bands attending the Festival will support other bands by staying and watching other performances in the auditorium.

Adjudication

• All performances (bands, solos, ensembles) will receive written feedback from the adjudicators.
• Bands will normally receive verbal feedback via recordings taken as they perform.

Band Performance – Festival Category
• Bands will be awarded Bronze, Silver or Gold trophies and certificates based on performance elements which will be notified in advance.
• Allocated total time is 30 minutes including set-up time and exiting the stage.
• A band’s performance time starts at the allocated time in the programme or as soon as the last member of the preceding band leaves the stage (whichever is later) and ends when the last member leaves the stage. We recommend a maximum playing time of 20-22 minutes to allow sufficient time for set-up and exiting the stage.
• Percussionists and bassists may set-up while the preceding band is exiting the stage.
• Groups exceeding the time limit of 30 minutes will be adjudicated and awarded Bronze, Silver or Gold, but will not be eligible for Major Awards.

Band Performance – Competition Category
We ask that eligible bands indicate whether they will enter this category as soon as possible. If fewer than three bands indicate interest NZCBA reserves the right to cancel this category in any given year.

• The objective of this category is to provide a higher degree of competition for Gold bands.
• Bands which attained Gold at one of the previous three Festivals (2015, 2016 or 2017) will be eligible to enter the Competition Category where, in addition to the normal Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards, they will be marked using a points schedule out of 100 to be ranked against other bands in this category and awarded 1st, 2nd or 3rd placings which will be announced at Prize Giving.
• Entry is entirely optional and does not incur any additional registration fees.
• Adjudication will be based on the same elements as the Festival Category with point weightings notified in advance.
• Bands in this category will play
o A set piece (this piece has been selected by a previous Festival adjudicator according to this criteria: grade 3-4 piece, under 4 min, less than $100US, distinctly different in musical style from a march or reflective piece)
o A march,
o A reflective piece (hymn, chorale or lyrical work set largely homophonically)
o And, time permitting, one other piece of their choice.
• The 2018 set piece is Exultation by Philip Sparke. Duration 3.06 minutes, US$98.00, Catalogue No: 10335805 – Grade 4ish.
• The 30-minute time limit will be strictly enforced (as outlined earlier) and, in addition to the loss of eligibility for Major Awards, marks will be deducted for going over time as follows: 10 points penalty for exceeding time limit and an additional 10 points penalty per minute (or portion thereof).

Solo and Ensemble Performances

• Allocated total time is 10 minutes including set-up, tuning, and exiting the stage.
• Solo performance: Each band may nominate soloists to represent their band by playing a solo piece of their choice. Soloist are responsible for providing their own accompanist. A piano will be provided.
• Soloists will nominate a category: School Student, Tertiary Student, Open.
The most outstanding performance in each category will be acknowledged.
• Ensemble performance: Each band may nominate ensembles which will consist of a maximum of 10 players. Percussion ensembles may have instrument restrictions.
• Please note that the more soloists/ensembles each band enters, the more complex the task of programming becomes and bands need to accept the final schedule. Band and solo/ensemble performances will not be scheduled within the same morning or afternoon session.

Substitute or “ring-in” Musicians

• Substitute players who are not bona fide band members will be allowed if, for unforeseen reasons this is necessary for a band or ensemble to perform, however, the group will not be eligible for major awards. In the spirit of amateur music making, a band member will be a person who is part of the ongoing annual rehearsal and performance schedule of the band. Musicians who join the band just for the Festival are discouraged.

Music and Scores

• Two sets of scores for each piece to be performed, one for each adjudicator, must be provided. Mark each score clearly with your band name (and soloist or ensemble name when applicable).
• Music not collected at the conclusion of the Festival will be destroyed.
• A band, ensemble, or soloist must own or have in their possession an original score/copies of any piece they will be playing which is under copyright protection.
• All bands/ensembles/soloists must hold their own copyright licences as appropriate.

Awards

Each band (Festival and Competition Category), soloist and ensemble will be adjudicated and awarded Bronze, Silver or Gold award.

Major Festival Awards

Band Awards

Robert Lutt Trophy for Best Performance of a Piece by a Band

Robert Lutt Annual Concert Band Award for Outstanding Festival Band

Royal New Zealand Navy Band Award for winner of Band Competition Category

Spirit of the Festival for a band which:

has been in existence two years or less as a concert band AND/OR

plays music of Grade Two or lower in its Festival performance. (Grade two wind band music) AND

demonstrate excellent on stage etiquette, follow their musical director, have excellent posture and playing positions, and are well prepared.

Solo and Ensemble Awards

The R & J Massey Adjudicators Award for an Outstanding Performance by a Soloist

We will acknowledge the best performance in categories of soloist:

School Student, Tertiary Student, Open

The New Zealand Royal Air Force Band Adjudicators Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble

Enquiries should be sent to secretary@nzcba.org
Secretary
NZCBA
PO Box 402014
Tutukaka 0153

NZYSW News

Read about or watch the 2018 Summer Event Concerts, with thanks to Pub Charity Ltd.

Band Weekend News

Thanks to all organisers and participants for the second Band Weekend for 2017 - what fun!
We are now seeking a host for October 2018.